Passed RHCSA & RHCE Exam with Good Marks

This New year 2014 would have not have been better for me as on 2nd January 2014 I got a gift from Red hat and that in the form of Red hat certification results. I got an email from the Red hat team that I have earned mine EX200 & EX300 Certification and my certificates were also attached with the mail. I scored 90% marks in both the exams and cleared my RHCSA & RHCE exam in first attempt only.

I gave both my RHCSA & RHCE exam on 31st December 2013 on the gap 1 hour and being truthful, I have opted for a double attempt for safe side and single exam cost more. Don’t think that It ruined my New year party as my exam was on 31st December. After my exam I partied all night as from past 1 month I was busy studying for a Red hat exam on my extra time. 🙂

RHCSA & RHCE Exam Fees

In India I think Red hat exam fees are low as compared to other countries. I paid a total of Rs.22,500 with taxes. For RHCSA and RHCE exam fees are Rs.10,000 each and rest is tax.

You can check the latest fees detail of the Red hat exam at an Official Red hat site too.

My Preparation for RHCSA & RHCE Exam

I started taking a weekend class from April 2013 from one of the local institute in our area and was able to complete my course around October. You must be thinking why it took 7 months to complete a 3 month course?

First of all I was taking weekend classes so I was getting only 2 days in a week to learn Linux, secondly due to some of my classmates, which have a habit of coming late into the classroom, make my 2 hour class to only 1:30 her class, and last but not the least I have a very old habit of bunking classes from my Engineering days. 🙂

Now I am sure you know why it took too long to complete my course, so don’t ask again in your comments.

I will advise you to consider this book for your study too, as this book is easy to understand and there are lots of questions after every chapter to give you a good understanding and also helps from interview point of view.

Tips for RHCSA & RHCE

1. Practice, Practice, Practice!!: I will request you to practice for all the topics given in the Red hat official syllabus for RHCSA and RHCE. Even after doing lots of practice, I missed one command and was not able to score 100%. Practice more for LVM, HTTP, SCSI, kernel upgrade, etc. These are very good topic to learn for your career and organization point of view.

2. Read every question properly and use the same naming convention as given on the exam.

3. Use either IP tables or TCP wrapper in exam. You can use either. Use whatever you are compatible with.

4. Reboot your system wherever necessary and manage time carefully.

5. Last but not the least, don’t panic and give your exam confidently.

Hope this help in your RHCSA & RHCE exam. Please don’t ask any question in the comments which I have faced in the exam as I will not be able to give answers for it. I have signed Non disclosure agreement (NDA) with Red hat. You can ask any topic of syllabus if you are having any confusion, I can help with that. Good luck for your Red hat exam.

Venkatewaran

Hi Pawan,

As Of now, I have 4 months free time and i’m currently not working with any company. Is it possible to accomplish Rhcsa and Rhce in one shot.? I’m plan to join nearby institute. I have some basic linux skills like file manipulation and partitioning.

Brijesh

Yes, that book is good. There is nothing to get confuse on those books. Those are only modules.

June 5, 2017

Dude_F

Dear Pawan,

I have around 10 years of experience in Application development based on Unix/Linux platform, I have experienced in Shell and Perl scripting. From last two years I’m working on supporting and installing my application which is based on Linux wherein touching few aspects of Linux OS.

Now I’m thinking to switch career and become full time Linux Administrator hence looking at RHCSA certification. Interested to know if RHCSA would help me getting job for Linux Admin?

Just install Linux Operating system and start with basic topics like boot process, common Linux commands, Filesystem hierarchy, how to install package, etc. Let me if I can help in anyway. You can check syllabus of RHCSA and can cover topics one by one.

Good Luck.

March 2, 2017

Aditya

Hi,
I just wanted to ask , whether it’s necessary to be trained in Redhat authorised training centre to apply for the RHCE exam ?

Actually i am preparing for the exam by myself with tutorials and all.

Yes, it will be added advantage for your to do Red Hat certification. Yes, you can take RHCSA exam alone, but I have seen giving both exam on one go saves money. But go as per your practice.

Yes, you can prepare by your own. There are many good books available. Check them here.

December 26, 2016

Akash

Hi Pawan,
As i have 8 month experience in basic shell scripting in Unix and have good hand in basic commands. Now i want to go for Rhcsa. I just want to ask is this a good move as i won’t have much experience in Linux administration and all companies prefer experienced person.
Please guide.

You already have experience in UNIX shell scripting, so I think it will work for companies and in addition if you do RHCSA, it is added advantage. Go for it after preparation.

Merry Christmas.

December 25, 2016

Psarz singh

Hi Pawan,
First I would love to say thanks for this post.
I am willing to give the exam for RHCSA & RHCE at the same time, as you have posted that you had attended the weekend classes for preparation. So can i know do you had joined any institute or done the self study. If institute then please suggest me the institute name.

Blestin Antony

There is no surety of getting Job, though there are good chances. But if you have some experience with certification then it’s added advantage.

October 3, 2016

Vignesh Gautam

Hi Pawan,

I am trying to invest in myself and I figured out that I need to strengthen my knowledge on OS concepts. Linux has been my favourite OS so far(8 years of working around it not deep though). Do you think RHCSA and RHCE will allow me focus on OS concepts? I am looking for a path to get knowledge rather than a certification.

If you are looking for deep knowledge, then you should read good Linux books, kernel programming books, etc. And also join similar form. I don’t think institute will give you that. Self study is best.

September 29, 2016

Arvind Singh

Hi Mr. Pawan,
One more doubt, according to your comment you are saying As most of the cases, companies ask for experience in Linux admin.
My question is how to get experience, even as i am a fresher Technical Engg. and have RHCSA with RHCE both exam certified.
To let if company ask for experience and i have not then in that case from where i get experince after that i provide my experience to company then get better job from next companies.
When companies will not give job for fresher Engg. Students then how to will make a experience. In that cases Freshers Engg. Students what to do?
Once companies give job for freshers students then that students are experienced studendts and able to apply another company
Kindly confirm and revert with correct solution.

Yes, in most of the cases you require experience. But, there are many companies which hire freshers.
You are right once you have job, you can say you have experience in Linux and prove to employer you know. But in interview they ask scenarios and you should know that.

September 19, 2016

Tau

Hi,
My name is Tau from South Africa, am undergoing a Red Hat Systems II training and looking for website or previous exams which i can prepare with for my exams.

Please anyone hook me up with all the information or material which could help.